


Astrapophobia

by August_sn0w



Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, cuddles mend souls, precious Isak, savior Even
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24439468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/August_sn0w/pseuds/August_sn0w
Summary: Astraphobia, also known as astrapophobia, brontophobia, keraunophobia, or tonitrophobia is an abnormal fear of thunder and lightning, a type of specific phobia.Promt: Isak and Even are room mates and Isak has astrapophobia.
Relationships: Even Bech Næsheim/Isak Valtersen
Comments: 7
Kudos: 72





	Astrapophobia

It’s only been a few months that Isak and Even became college room mates due to the UiO system of pairing students at random to share a dorm unit.

Isak was doing his pre-med and Evan was studying arts and media. It didn’t take long for them to be comfortable around one another and become good friends.

One night, there was a loud thunderstorm. Isak had been twisting and turning all over his room. One thing you must know about Isak, he is astrapophobic. Or, a person with an abnormal amount of fear for thunderstorms. He couldn’t calm down. Isak was sweating profusely and felt a heavy weight in his chest.

Isak knew he couldn’t get over this storm alone. It took all the courage and desperation in him to walk over to Even’s room and knock on the door, “Even! Are you there? Even please.”

The door opened slowly with a sleepy Even on the other side, Isak pushed the door and embraced Even. He was trembling and Even was confused. Even rubbed his eyes and asked “What’s going on—“

**Thunder roars through the sky** and Isak tightens his grip around Even. “Ow! Isak, you’re scared of the storm?” Even asks unmockingly, and Isak nods slowly loosening his grip to glance a look at Even’s face. Even looked at him with kind eyes, different from his usual mysterious pokerface.

“You’ve sweat through your shirt Isak, just sit on the bed and i’ll get one from your room, ok?” just then, a set of lightning shown through the curtains and once again Isak grabbed around Even’s waist and shook his head. He really hated thunderstorms. Even returned a light embrace and said “It’s ok, I’ll just lend you a shirt for now ok?”, Isak nodded, his head still stuck on Even’s chest.

Even slowly moved with a scared Isak glued to him. They walked towards the cupboard beside the bed and Even took out a shirt, “here Isak, get changed and we can go to bed.” Isak risked exactly ten seconds to change his sweat-soaked shirt, wipe himself and wore Even’s dry one. The scent of the person he liked comforted him.

Even was already sitting on the bed looking at the floor, waiting for Isak. “I’m really sorry for this, I know I’m old enough to handle my own fears..but..” he quietly said, facing Even.

“Isak, it’s okay you don’t have to tell me now, let’s just get some sleep okay?” was the reply he received.

Even let Isak sleep on the side of the bed flushed against the wall, the space was intimate and he took a deep breath as Even lay to face him. “It’s ok, you don’t have to explain now. I’m just glad you’ve calmed down.”

“Thank you Even.” Isak said with a shy smile.

* _thunder rumbles through the sky_ * and Isak grips Even’s arms, “I’m sorry, it’s sort of involuntary.” Even takes Isak’s arm and puts it around his waist, “just hold on to me, we need to sleep” and with that Even closed his eyes. Isak was thankful that Even didn’t seem to be irritated about the disturbance, or if he was, he sure hid it well, ‘ _I must really look terrible for him to pity me like this_ ’, he thought grimly.

Morning came and the sun along with it. When Isak opened his eyes, he was lying on his stomach and his face close to Even, he smiled. ‘Is this real?’ he thought. The older boy groaned and twisted his body to face Isak, his arm wrapping around the young boy’s waist. Isak felt somewhat guilty, that Even might regret his actions in his sleep. He pulled back his body from the embrace. Even opened his eyes slowly, “morning baby”. This made Isak giggle, sure Even just made a mistake, “ha-ha, morning Even.” This made the older boy smile and hug him tighter.

After that night, their friendship only grew closer instead of awkward which is what Isak was worried about. They went about their usual routine, but this time, with added physical contact. Platonic of course, Isak had to remind himself every so often. Knees touching under the table during meals, _we both have long legs and the table’s small enough of course._ Even’s arm around Isak’s shoulders when they were in campus talking to their circle of friends, _he must be cold._ Even lying down on the sofa with his head on Isak’s stomach while they watched a movie, _using me as a human pillow for comfort_. Okay some of his reasoning were far fetched and he knew it. He wasn’t complaining though, Isak revelled in all the physical attention he was receiving from Even. Platonic of course.

•

Today had been a particularly gloomy day. It was going to rain, Isak knew it, the weather forecast knew it and Isak was praying to the heavens it wouldn’t be a thunderstorm. Rain he could handle, if he put his earphones on at a high enough volume, not thunder though. He just really needed to get through this night for his bio exam tomorrow. And just his _luck,_ Even wasn’t staying home tonight, he was over at his classmate’s to work on a movie project for the term. No one would be there to help him through his panic attacks.

The weather forecast had been right, about the rain, the lightning and the thunder. Isak tried to ignore it, he tried to listen to the voice inside his head saying _it’s nothing, it’s just noise, it doesn’t mean that night is happening, that night when his mother had tried to take her life in front of him having just fought with his father._ Before he knew it he was kneeling on the floor of his bedroom gasping for air feeling like there was a void surrounding his head and his lungs hurt. He was full on having his panic attack and he tried to reach his phone, tried to dial a number, he needed to listen to someone, he couldn’t listen to his own head. It was of no use, he couldn’t move far enough to move through his room and search for his phone, he was stuck on the floor and he felt weak, he really needed to breathe, his mind wouldn’t listen.

That’s how Even found him, he was curled into himself on the floor of his bedroom, staring off into the distance and quietly sobbing. Even knelt down beside him, “Isak, come here I’ve got you.” Even gently picked him up and put his arms around him whilst they were both kneeling on the floor. Even hugged him tightly, as though he could push the boy’s broken pieces back together. “Isak, breathe please.”

After some time, when Even was sure that Isak was breathing properly with him, he led them to the bed. Even slowly put his hand on Isak’s cheek and brushed his skin lightly with his thumb. “Let’s get some rest—“

“Why are you here Even? I thought you were staying at Michael’s” Isak said, although he didn’t mean for it to sound as harsh as it did.

Even took back his hand on Isak’s cheek as he asked the question, and rubbed at his own head feeling sheepish. “Umm yeah, I kinda ran out of there as soon as I heard the first thunder.. I just wanted to make sure you were safe, and you weren’t answering my call so..”

Isak nodded throughout Even’s answer, he couldn’t really think about anything else. “Let’s get some sleep?” he finally said to Even, who slowly nodded.

The thunderstorm had passed now with only light rain tapping on the window of his room. But the pounding in Isak’s head was still persistent. He was staring at the wall beside his bed with Even’s arm around his stomach spooning him. Isak turned around slowly trying not to disturb Even’s slumber, but he was surprised to see the older boy’s eyes staring at him. “Hi,” whispered Even.

“Hi”

“Why are we whispering?”

  
  
“You started it.”

“I guess so”

“Thank you”

“Anything for you baby”

  
  
And if it was any other time, Isak would have melted right then and there at the pet name.

“Is it okay if i tell you something personal?” Isak said carefully.

“Yes, only if you want to Isak”

“You know how I’m not in good terms with my dad right?”

Even nodded slowly.

“When I was in middle school, my parents used to fight a lot. One time, they had a big fight and they were throwing things in the house, not really at each other but just on the floor or the walls.” Isak said carefully. Even let him take his time, rubbing circles on his back, trying his best to let Isak know he was safe.

“After the fight, my dad walked to the guest room and my mom was left in the kitchen. I was just crying and staring at my mom from the stairs. A thunderstorm started then, and my mom.. She picked up a knife and she just stood there just looking really sad. She looked me in the eye while she tried to… she tried to kill herself. A-and I tried to call m-my dad but he couldn’t hear me over the storm a-and i-i couldn’t go to help my mom.” Isak was crying.

Even didn’t stop him from talking, he felt that Isak needed to let his story out however painful it was, he hugged him tighter instead, letting him know he wasn’t alone now.

“I-I know it’s not my fault, but it’s one thing to know and one thing to believe, and I’m getting there but the thunderstorms, they just erase any progress I’ve made.”

Even hummed in response, “I’m sorry about that Isak, it really isn’t your fault. I’m not gonna pretend to understand what you’re going through Isak, but I’m here for you okay? Anything you need.”

With that, Isak hugged him tightly and then relaxed him embrace, “this is enough.” _You are enough._

And with that the two boys drifted off to sleep.

•

Even and Isak would fall asleep together even without thunderstorms. Always wanting to be close together, the warmth of their bodies melts away unspoken woes, melding the pieces of their hearts together. Eventually, Isak would not be afraid of thunderstorms anymore. Eventually, thunderstorms would mean warm cuddles from Even. Eventually they meant healing and finding the man of his dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it. Share your thoughts in the comment section. Have a great day (or night)!


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